Community groups in Galway have called for a pause on tree felling works on a woodland area on the eastern fringes of the city, amid fears over the long-term consequences of the project on the ecosystem there.
A contractor for Galway City Council has commenced a major tree clearing programme at Merlin Woods.
The local authority says the work is needed to remove conifers that sustained damage during Storm Eowyn in January 2025.
Officials say the removal of the fallen trees would increase the potential for others to fall and, as a result, some 8.5 acres of healthy woodland will also be chopped down.
Briefings given to councillors in recent weeks show that 46% of the total wooded area will be cleared, with plans to replant native trees on the lands in question.
Officials say the removal of the fallen trees would increase the potential for others to fall
But the Friends of Merlin Woods group, which has been working to safeguard the civic amenity for years, has questioned the need for such an extensive tree felling programme.
It says the removal of such a volume of forestry will have significant impacts on the native red squirrel population, as well as countless other species.
The group maintains the scale of the planned works is excessive and should be reviewed.
Councillors have been told they have no say in whether the felling can proceed, as the decision falls under the executive function of the local authority and is not subject to the approval of elected representatives.
The council says it has sought expert advice in relation to the impact the works would have on the woods’ red squirrel population. It plans to install feeding points for the squirrels, ahead of the works commencing.
But Caroline Stanley of the Friends of Merlin Woods says the existing trees are used extensively by the mammals and the planned harvesting will have major consequences for them.
The group contends that the full impact of the felling has not been properly considered and is critical of preparatory measures conducted by the City Council, saying they have serious strategic gaps.
It’s suggesting that safety concerns about unstable tress can be addressed, without the wide-scale clearance of 8.5 acres of healthy woodland, saying this would offer “a collaborative way forward” for both the local authority and the community.
A red squirrel in Merlin Woods, Galway (Image: Colin Stanley)
The group has commissioned an analysis of the planned works and their likely impacts.
Zoologist Dr Emma Roberts, who has previously conducted research on the red squirrel population in Merlin Woods, says it is the “core habitat” for them in the city.
She says the mammals are primarily detected in conifer habitats, where they can access food, shelter and canopy connectivity. Her analysis concluded that retaining “viable sections” of exiting conifers would support the squirrel population.
Forestry consultant Dermot Houlihan found the Storm Eowyn damage was confined to a relatively small area and that the vast majority of trees could be left standing.
His report states that their maturity allows for a substantial cover of ground flora and that extensive clear-felling would increase the risk of windblow (future storm related damage) for the remaining trees.
The City Council says it has listened to stakeholders and heard their concerns.
It has citied a separate report by an arbourist, which it describes as “evidence based”.
The local authority says conditions set out by the Office of Public Works in relation to monuments in the area are being adhered to.
In response to queries, the National Parks and Wildlife Service said it had no statutory responsibilities in relation to the management of Merlin Woods.
But the agency says it “continues to be open to working with stakeholders to protect biodiversity in the area.”